The thing I admire most about this film is how the town of Waxahachie, Texas was
used as the location setting for 1918. The whole town practically, you really do
think you're in the year of World War 1 in America. The panorama of the place
reminds me of Picnic.
Horton Foote's play really does show what it was like back in the day. Texas itself
was one of the areas strongest in support of our entry into the European War and
of President Woodrow Wilson. It was really like that in 1918. Dissent was
easily the equivalent of treason.
But the crisis of man in creating the first World War where the attitude is just
fall in line or scorn or worse those that don't is superseded by a second crisis of
health. The great influenza epidemic which started Over There came back with our returning doughboys. It ran wild through this country 1918-1919 and what you see here all the deaths and families affected was quite real.
William Converse-Roberts and Hallie Foote are the married leads and the parents of our author. He's got a draft exemption for flat feet, but no
exemption from the flu. He survives it and he was weeks in delirium. When
Converse-Roberts comes out of it. there are a lot of changes, some subtle some
not.
Matthew Broderick is in 1918 as Foote's wastrel brother. A truly shallow character when we meet him. He shows signs of character growth by the end
of the play.
The ensemble cast is impeccably cast and performs thusly. 1918 is great look
back at that year.
